NEW ORLEANS—Ray Lewis has been everything during Super Bowl week that we have come to expect. Charismatic. Controversial. Leader. Lightning rod.

No single player is bigger than Super Bowl XLVII. But Lewis is the game’s central figure, saying goodbye after 17 compelling seasons on the grandest stage possible.

The moment fits Lewis perfectly. Could you imagine Ray Lewis leaving quietly? Forget that. This is how it works for Lewis, the center of attention of any room he walks into.

The buzz about Lewis has continued all week, especially after the release of a Sports Illustrated story that accused him of attempting to purchase a banned substance to aid his recovery from a torn triceps muscle. It gave the world another opportunity to judge Lewis with absolutes—guilty or innocent, champion or cheat.

Those opinions are yours. But as usual, Lewis is doing this his way. Damn the distractions. Lewis has decided that this moment belongs to him and to his Ravens teammates. On Sunday, is there little doubt Lewis will focus singularly on winning Super Bowl XLVII, for himself, for his teammates, for his gravely ill grandmother, for Baltimore, for all things important to Ray Lewis.

People who ask if Lewis will be distracted Sunday don't know him like the Ravens do. They have never counted on Lewis for perfection. They count on his performance. They count on his passion, something he brings to the table like few players ever have.

That is what the Ravens expect Sunday. Lewis leading them into battle, Lewis working himself into an emotional frenzy, Lewis giving his all on his last ride.

The 49ers may defeat Lewis during the game, but nothing will defeat Lewis leading up to kickoff. As always, he will lead and the Ravens will follow.

“I was talking to Ray the other day and saying, 'Man, I don’t know how you deal wit it,’ ” Ravens linebacker Paul Kruger said.

“He’s the guy for the job. He’s been through a lot and has had a great career and has experienced the lows and the highs, so he knows how to deal with it.’’

And Lewis has dealt with it this week. First there were questions about the Super Bowl party that Lewis attended in 2000, when a fight broke out leaving Jacinth Baker and Richard Lollar fatally stabbed. Lewis and two men he was with were indicted for murder charges. After admitting to giving police a misleading statement, Lewis testified against the men he was with and pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of justice. No one has ever been found guilty of the charges, and many, including relatives of the victims, have never forgiven Lewis for his involvement.

Then came the questions about deer antler spray, and whether Lewis had used it after the release of the Sports Illustrated story. Lewis offered strong denials, but this was not the line of questioning he had anticipated during Super Bowl week.

In quiet moments in his room, away from the glare, who knows what Lewis is thinking? But outwardly, he has given the air of being unaffected, leaving no stone unturned regarding his preparation. While New Orleans and the French Quarter were buzzing, Lewis said he was preparing.

“One of my linebacker buddies asked, `Have you been out any this week?’ ” Lewis said. “I was like, ‘No, I’m not going anywhere, because I only want my face stuck in my Ipad. I want to know everything about the San Francisco 49ers, so that when I step on the field, I can make my defense a better defense.”

Lewis has been around so long, many of his teammates watched him play while they were growing up. That created a weird dynamic for tight end Dennis Pitta when he joined the Ravens three years ago.

“My locker is just two down from Ray’s,” Pitta said. “I admit it, I was a little starstruck at first. He’s a guy I idolized growing up.

“But here’s the thing about Ray that makes him such a leader. He makes everybody feel comfortable. He makes everybody feel important, from the practice squad to the veterans.

“When he told us he was retiring, it was emotional. I don’t want to say guys were shocked, but we weren’t expecting it either. No question it lit a fire in us. We want to send Ray off right.”

So in another situation where Lewis is under the microscope, his approach to the game he loves is unlikely to change. Off the field, Lewis says he has been changed by his life’s events—more humble, more devoted to God, more giving than he has even been. But during the 60 minutes of Super Bowl XLVII, expect nothing about Lewis’ approach to football to change. He will forget about everything else and try to end his career with one last victory dance.

“On the field isn’t about humility,” Lewis said. “I don’t get paid to be humble on the field. I get paid to hit people in the mouth.

“I know that I spent every second focused on winning this game. For me, that is a heck of a way to go out.”